Cider

jtbarclay · **Posted:** Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:02 pm

Here is the initial post on what went in to my cider.

Additional updates I have been posting by tweet and occasionally posting a summary in this category on my blog

metis · **Posted:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:09 am

awesome. i've had luck with indian summer before. it is (mildly) filtered, but doesn't have preservatives iirc.

idris_arslanian · **Joined:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:22 pm **Posts:** 362

A few questions:

1. Did you boil the cider first to make sure you were pitching (Adding yeast) to a sterile environment?
2. What temps are you fermenting at? How stable?
3. Are you seeing airlock activity?
4. Did you take an initial gravity reading w/ a hydrometer so you can determine alcohol content?

Theo · **Posted:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:23 am

idris_arslanian wrote:

3. Are you seeing airlock activity?

From what I heard on pizza night, hoo baby yes.

jtbarclay · **Posted:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:02 am

1. no, but it was pasteurized...
2. no idea
3. yes
4. no

I know, shame on me, but I'll have made 5 gallons for <$30!

idris_arslanian · **Joined:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:22 pm **Posts:** 362

Well, I think you could assume that the particular cider is standardized, so you could just grab another jug and test the OG, and weigh it against the FG of you fermented cider. Congrats on the price, that's not a bad deal. I'm working on saving yeast and growing my own hops to get my batch price below $20 per 5 gal. Unfortunately, you need a bit of equipment to do this... eventually, I might break even.

jtbarclay · **Posted:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:42 pm

I bought a hydrometer today, so before I add the last gallon I'll take a reading.

idris_arslanian · **Joined:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:22 pm **Posts:** 362

Wait, are you adding more cider to that which is already fermenting? I think it would be better to go exponential. You can use the yeast slurry from the first 5 gal to ferment at least two batches (you can use this to calculate your volumes, use the ale setting for cider: http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php). If you add more to your current fermenter, you're just going to have to wait longer, and you're risking off flavors and contamination.

metis · **Posted:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:27 pm

i agree, you're not working with a high sugar thing that you need to temper the amount of food for the yeast at any one point, i'd just run another batch with the yeast from the first.

idris_arslanian · **Joined:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:22 pm **Posts:** 362

Hell, even w/ a high gravity production, you're going to want to build up the amount of yeast you pitch, either buying more packs or doing a small starter and decanting off the spent solution before pitching the yeast. I can't think of any situation where you'd add more fermentables into an already fermenting fermenter.

also, ferment.

Cider

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